Where does “ghost population” come from?

ghost population (English) comes from English ghost, from Middle English gost, from Old English gāst, from Proto-West Germanic gaist, from Proto-Germanic gaistaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰeysd- — anger, agitation.

ghost population (English): A population that is inferred to have existed based on data that has been reconstructed rather than on direct sampling

Definitions

  1. A population that is inferred to have existed based on data that has been reconstructed rather than on direct sampling

Ancestry of “ghost population”, step by step

ghost population traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English ghost

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishghostThe spirit; the soul of man; The disembodied...
2Middle Englishgosta spiritual being; angel, devil, spirit; soul of...
3Old Englishgāstbreath, soul, spirit, ghost, being
4Proto-West Germanicgaistghost, spirit
5Proto-Germanicgaistazterror, fear; spirit, ghost; mind
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰeysd-anger, agitation

via English population

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpopulationThe people living within a political or...
2Late Latinpopulatioa people, multitude; the act of laying waste or...
3Latinpōpulusa people, nation
4Proto-Italicpoplosarmy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰeysd-Every word from Proto-Germanic gaistazEvery word from Proto-West Germanic gaist